Santa Rosa police arrested two Oakland teenagers on suspicion of vehicle theft after a pursuit early this morning. The pursuit began when an officer tried to stop the vehicle around 2:15 a.m. for speeding on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Sgt. Micheal Chad Heiser said. The 2010 Dodge Caravan that was reported stolen in Oakland failed to stop and the pursuit continued to Steele Lane, Cleveland Avenue and onto southbound U.S. Highway 101, Heiser said.

The driver of the Dodge nearly hit pedestrians in the parking lot of a Jack in the Box restaurant and the vehicle struck a curb, blowing out the right tire after it turned east onto Steele Lane, Heiser said. Despite the blown tire, the driver drove 75 mph on Highway 101 until the tire began smoking and the driver had difficulty controlling the vehicle, Heiser said. Officers ran a traffic break on the highway and an officer used a pursuit intervention technique that caused the Dodge to spin out and hit the concrete center median on the highway, Heiser said.

The 17-year-old driver was booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of felony evading, vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and driving without a license, Heiser said. The 16-year-old passenger was booked on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle and on an arrest warrant for escaping from custody, Heiser said.

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